Any of you guys actually been to Costa Rica? If you have how was it?
I can answer that. I've spent alot of time there going back 25 years. It's not as impoverished as it was when I first got there but it's nowhere near first world.
Basically a third world shithole, most women are whores most men are criminals or drug addicts. Crime is ridiculously rampant, to the point that you are guaranteed to be robbed at gunpoint if you are white and outside at certain hours of the day. Law enforcement is universally non existent and corrupt at the same time so forget about reporting any crimes you are a victim of.
The streets are dirty, there are feral animals all over the place and the smell of human shit is in the air constantly.
Good points: Things are still (2018) somewhat cheap compared to the USA, good flight connections to the US and Europe.
Bad points: everything else